Abstract

Programmable optical addldrop multiplexers (OADM) are key technology components for realizing reconfigurable WDM networks. New magnetically tunable fiber Bragg grating (FBG) devices 1 enable fast reconfigurable OADM nodes with low power consumption, owing to the latchable character of the magnetic tuning mechanism. We report the first demonstration of a magnetically tunable fiber Bragg grating (FBG) in which a broad-range (15.7 nm) tuning of the FBG is achieved using fast, programmable and latchable magnetic actuation. A key advantage is that the device requires no power except when shifting wavelengths. and shows a wavelength switching time of 2ms. The center wavelength is shifted over 4nm without introducing any discernible amplitude or phase distortion, confirmed by 10-Gbitls system measurements [2].

© 1999 Optical Society of America